Vegetated riprap
used as protection of storm water outfall 56 project, City of Edmonton,
Alberta

Innovative
techniques can provide additional planning tools when approaching
sites with challenging soil conditions, high soil erosion
potential, and where the establishment of vegetation for enhancement
/ creation of fish & wildlife habitat is important.

Terra
Erosion Control has experimented with the vegetation
of riprap over the past ten years. As
a result we have developed a technique that will successfully
establish vegetation during the installation of riprap structures.
This vegetation will provide additional bank protection, soften
the rock appearance, and enhance fish habitat along the shoreline.

Sites
that are saturated due to underground seepage water are often
a problem to reclaim or stabilize due to ongoing earth slumping
and flowing of sediment. Techniques such as a live
pole drain system can effectively drain
excess water from such sites and allow vegetation to establish,
while improving surface slope stability. This surface drainage
technique can also be combined with conventional engineering
systems.

Degraded
sites are often depleted in soil microorganisms. These organisms
are essential to healthy plant growth and proper soil/ecosystem
functioning. Compost
Teaapplications can help to replenish the
soil microbial community on such sites. Terra Erosion Control
has been experimenting with compost tea applications since 2007.